The son of Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy is back in jail after his bond was revoked on an earlier drug arrest.

Joshua Troy Imm, who is Hardy's 26-year-old biological son, also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after two syringes, a bent spoon and other items were found in a zippered case he was carrying.

Imm denied that the property was his, according to a Putnam County offense report.

Imm was arrested with three others on May 6 in an undercover methamphetamine buy at an East Palatka convenience store. He was charged with sale of the drug, possession of chemicals and paraphenalia, child neglect and maintaining a drug vehicle.

He was released on $7,020 bond June 15.

Spokesman Hancel Woods of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said Hardy was approached by the bonding agency about concerns that Imm was violating the terms of his release.

Woods said the sheriff said he would have preferred that his son not have been released on bond in the first place.

Imm was turned over by the bonding agency and his bond was revoked. He was transferred to the St. Johns County jail.

By Dana Treen The son of Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy is back in jail after his bond was revoked on an earlier drug arrest.

Joshua Troy Imm, who is Hardy's 26-year-old biological son, also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after two syringes, a bent spoon and other items were found in a zippered case he was carrying.

Imm denied that the property was his, according to a Putnam County offense report.

Imm was arrested with three others on May 6 in an undercover methamphetamine buy at an East Palatka convenience store. He was charged with sale of the drug, possession of chemicals and paraphenalia, child neglect and maintaining a drug vehicle.

He was released on $7,020 bond June 15 without Hardy's knowledge, the sheriff said. He said he would have preferred his son, who was placed in the general population at the jail, remain incarcerated.

Sources close to the case have told us Croslin had to know what was coming after law enforcement expressed their displeasure with how little they learned about the missing child case from the high drama search he lead them on down by the St. John’s River, where Croslin claimed cousin Joe Overstreet took him and tossed Haleigh’s body

Checkmate is out of town, but I got an e-mail from her earlier after she heard the news about Tommy's sentence. I asked for and received her permission to share her input.

"See if someone can go by the court house in Putnam, pull Tommy's court file (its public record), and get a copy of his Sentencing Guidelines Worksheet. Also, a copy of the presentencing report. Those docs will reflect whether LE agreed that he gave "substantial assistance" on the Haleigh case - if he received the downward deviation in his score, we will then know what LE thought of his version of the night of 2/9/09. He will have either been given the credit or not. It will be right there on the score sheet. LE would have either given the prosecutor the green light to credit him with substantial assistance, or say they thought he was lying/full of shit/should've told more.

This will also tell you a lot about what LE knows for sure about Haleigh vs. What Tommy told them re: Haleigh."

but LaRue said Croslin's offer to help detectives solve the mystery carried little weight in his decision.

The judge said the only distinction that struck him was that Croslin continued to deal drugs as an intense investigation was taking place to find the girl who authorities now believe is dead.

"Mr. Croslin is a drug dealer, pure and simple," LaRue said before imposing the sentence.

He also sentenced Croslin to a concurrent five years in prison in a possession case. The trafficking sentence included 10 years' probation following prison and a $50,000 fine.

Croslin's attorney, James Werter, was seeking a three- to five-year prison term. Jason Lewis of the prosecution asked for 30 years.

Werter said he has 30 days to appeal the sentence or ask that mitigating circumstances be considered to shorten it but has not made a decision to do so.

He said Croslin no longer has an incentive to help investigators in Haleigh's disappearance, as he has been doing.

Lewis said Croslin only came forward when he faced a lengthy prison sentence. He said he did not consider that Croslin cooperated because investigators still do not have a full picture of what happened the night Haleigh vanished.

A little bit about the vigil last night, although most people have seen the videos.

There were several people that spoke about their favorite times/memories of HaLeigh. Crystal (HaLeigh’s aunt) read a letter, speaking directly to HaLeigh. It was beautiful and heart wrenching. While people were speaking, a slideshow of pictures (most that were never before seen on the internet) were playing in the background. It was really nice because it was above a glittery red BELIEVE wooden carving. There was a table set up, you can see it on the videos, that had several pictures of HaLeigh, which is where people placed their candles. There were also several beautiful collages of pictures of HaLeigh with pictures that have never been seen in the media. She is such a beautiful child with a smile that never quits!

A group of people sang HaLeigh’s favorite song “That’s what I Love about Sundays”. That is a song that HaLeigh loves and knows all the words to and often sang out and knows all the words to.

Now I am totally confused. Will you please explain this to me? I do not see section on level of cooperation on the court paperwork you posted.

I would also like to add this as a possible theory....I do not know Florida law, but here in Ohio, there is shock probation and judicial release. Shock probation is for first time offenders that have been totally changed by their incarceration ( that leaves out Tommy ).

Judicial release can be requested after a period ( I know of 2 years ), if the person has stayed out of trouble and tried to improve him/herself, they apply for judicial release. It is then up to the judge.

Is it possible that the sentencing is a tactic to scare Misty into telling the truth before her trial? Any appeals for Tommy would not be heard until after Misty's trial. Maybe judicial release will be requested once there is closure in the Haleigh case?

I generally do not like "is it possibles" but having seen several situations where LE has used situations to get what they need, this idea came naturally to me.

I just took a look at those sentencing minutes. Yes, he did clearly get time served, which is to be expected. However, clearly, he did not receive any credit or downward deviation for substantial assistance to prosecutors on another pending investigation, or otherwise. Your posters imaginations can, and will, undoubtedly run wild with the implications of such. In my firm opinion, law enforcement is clearly aware that Tommy Croslin could have provided more information than he actually provided regarding the disappearance/homicide of Haleigh Cummings (it’s very hard for me to write that: “homicide of Haleigh Cummings” – ugh). It is law enforcement that will advise the ASA (Prosecutor) of whether a Defendant has been forthcoming in this respect, and whether, in their opinion, the Defendant has provided substantial assistance and/or cooperation to law enforcement in resolving another crime/investigation. Clearly, he was not credited with this permissible downward departure from his ultimate sentencing score.

What struck me, however, was why his defense counsel would plea him out without a hard plea deal in place. The same thing happened with Hope – they were thrown to the lions – to the whim of the Court. This is not how things usually happen. In the normal case scenario, the plea deal is struck with the Prosecutor and the Defendant’s counsel prior to agreeing to plead no contest or “guilty”. The Judge is presented the written plea by the Prosecutor at the hearing, with the Defendant present. The Judge rubberstamps whatever the deal is, as written on a plea agreement sheet. If there was no acceptable plea offer walking into court, why the heck would anyone allow their client to change their plea of not guilty? Only after you’ve reached a deal with the prosecutor do you agree to plea your client out. If there is no acceptable deal on the table, you go to trial (unless the possible penalty is so horrendous, you’d rather cut bait and run with what they’ve offered). Is Werter doing this for no fee? If so, that would explain why he did not want to take this any further, and into an expensive trial on his own dollar. If you can’t fund these cases to the bitter end, don’t take them pro bono. I have rarely in my life see someone agree to plea out without an accepted plea deal in writing ready for the Judge to sign. It’s shooting blind in the dark – and your client is relying on you to fight for him.

Now, when the prosecutor announces the plea deal at the hearing, the Judge can still find that the deal is unacceptable. This rarely happens, but sometimes the plea just does not sit well with the Judge, and he rejects it. In that instance, the Defendant has the right to withdraw his plea of guilty/no contest, and re-plea “Not Guilty”. Thereupon, he may proceed to trial. The former plea is null and void, and is not held against the Defendant. The Judge is usually not the “finder of fact” – the jury is. The jury never is made aware that the Defendant was once willing to plead guilty to the crime. That’s how it works. So it just struck me hard that these attorneys are walking their clients into court a sentencing hearing, without any plea deal already worked out with the State, effectively throwing them to the wolves. That just doesn’t usually happen, and whether it’s Tommy Croslin, Misty, or Ted Bundy, Defendants rely on their attorneys for zealous advocacy, and advice – that’s their constitutional right. Unless I’m missing something, or Putnam is drastically different than Miami, I see a lot of “running out the back door” going on. You must do your job as an attorney – or don’t take the case at all.

Now I am totally confused. Will you please explain this to me? I do not see section on level of cooperation on the court paperwork you posted.

I would also like to add this as a possible theory....I do not know Florida law, but here in Ohio, there is shock probation and judicial release. Shock probation is for first time offenders that have been totally changed by their incarceration ( that leaves out Tommy ).

Judicial release can be requested after a period ( I know of 2 years ), if the person has stayed out of trouble and tried to improve him/herself, they apply for judicial release. It is then up to the judge.

Is it possible that the sentencing is a tactic to scare Misty into telling the truth before her trial? Any appeals for Tommy would not be heard until after Misty's trial. Maybe judicial release will be requested once there is closure in the Haleigh case?

I generally do not like "is it possibles" but having seen several situations where LE has used situations to get what they need, this idea came naturally to me.

Thanks for any input.Terri

Terri, I am sorry but I can be of know help to you on your Is it possible. Imho, Tommy, Hope & all the rest will have to serve the time that they are sentenced to.

HaLeigh has been missing 18 months and not a truthful word out of these people.

I am just posting info that I run across and waiting for the fat lady to sing.